A Song of Ice, Fire, and New Heroes
by Vergil1989 the Crossover King
Summary: When Klarion the Witch Boy ripped open a dimensional gateway and sent the Team to Westeros, he had no idea the amount trouble he would stir up. Stranded with no way home and scattered across the Seven Kingdoms, they must adjust to their new lives, but with Winter coming, that might be easier said than done. Post Season 2 of YJ, and at the start of Season 1 of GoT. Spoilers.
1. Old Game, New Players

Hello ladies and gentlemen, and welcome back to another of my crazy ideas lol. Before anyone asks, yes I plan to continue my other tale, I just need to get inspired for it again is all. In the meantime, I thought I'd try something a little less complicated lol. In all seriousness, I've noticed a disturbing lack of Young Justice crossovers not just here, but also on in regards to GoT, and personally I think it'd be a pretty good mixture myself. ;D I might not be the best man for the job, but I'll still give it a go.

**Chapter 1; Old Game, New Players**

**Winterfell**

**Artemis Lian Crock**

It was another clear and crisp morning in the Northlands, and while it was colder than she'd have preferred, the fur coat, cloak, boots, gloves, trousers and heavy undershirt she wore was more than enough to keep her warm as she prepared for her morning walk. It hadn't taken her long to adjust to the heavier clothes the Northerners wore, and despite how strange this world was compared to her own, Artemis Lian Crock couldn't help but look to the clear skies above with a measure of contentment she hadn't felt in a very long time.

A stray breeze tugged at her long blonde hair that was still in its customary ponytail, but she paid it no mind as she hopped off of the walkway to the guard barracks and landed lightly on the dirt path below. She had yet to take the stairs going down in the mornings, and the few people that were up right before the sun began to shine over the horizon still jumped a little when they saw the archer's acrobatic ability in play. _Almost two years and you'd think they'd get used to seeing that._

On the other hand, two years in Winterfell and Artemis could still find enjoyment in the simple things that surrounded her. City life had been incredibly different from the slower and far more peaceful way of life that dominated this land. People actually paid attention to other people out here in the North and weren't nose deep in their Facebook pages and Twitter accounts. She missed her mother, the friends she had made on the team, and she especially missed Wally, but the Starks had filled in some of the void since they had taken her in.

She had never been a religious woman, especially after losing Wally, but something about walking through the Godwoods near the main castle grounds of Winterfell made Artemis stop and pause. The faces in the trees themselves never ceased to amaze her, regardless if someone had taken the time to carve them out of the trees or if they were a naturally occurring phenomenon. She had never asked anyway, preferring the mystery than the simple truth of how the faces were made. Whatever the case, they were an interesting sight to her as she ran a fur lined gloved hand over the pale white wood, aware of the company she had as she turned her head and smiled at the Lord of Winterfell, Eddard Stark. "I didn't expect to see you out here Lord Stark."

It was their normal routine. Every morning before sunrise, just as they had today, Artemis would wander out to the Godswood as she had since getting settled in at Winterfell and walked through the small forest located not far from the castle walls. Eventually, the entire Stark family knew of her habit and despite her insistence that she didn't want company, Eddard, Robb, Catelyn, Jon, Arya, or on occasion Brandon or the Seven forbid, Sansa, would join her. Today it was Eddard, and despite his usually stern demeanor, she knew of the honorable and steadfast man underneath and respected him a great deal. He was slightly amused by her greeting today, which meant that he most likely had warmed Catelyn's side of the bed the night before. It made Artemis wistful for her lost love, but she pushed those feelings aside. "I had hoped to talk to you Artemis."

She had a feeling she knew what he wanted to talk about. "Hey, talk to Greyjoy, he's the one that couldn't keep his hands away. Be glad I only broke his nose." Eddard sighed and shook his head at the passionate if combative blonde archer before him. The smile never faltered though, having seen the tail end of that particular exchange. It wasn't a new story with her, and any man that tried to do anything foolish as Theon Greyjoy had wound up in the dirt with his nose gushing blood. There had been at least five other occasions of such, and all because Artemis Lian Crock was a woman, yet she was able to fight better than most of the guards put together.

There were female knights and warriors, but they were far from Winterfell and the main kingdoms around King's Landing, and thus, unheard of in most of Westeros. It was a constant fight for approval among her male peers, but Artemis had managed not to kill anyone under the Stark roof, so far. "Iron blood he has and iron blooded he'll remain I fear. Still, I think he finally got the point that you're off limits. That was not what I wanted to talk about however. When we first met, and we had to earn the other's trust, do you remember?" Artemis remembered all too well. It was the night back in her home dimension that her life, and the rest of the team's lives had been turned upside down by one overzealous Lord of Chaos.

It had been two years since Klarion the Witch Boy had attacked their new hideout. He had stolen them, quite literally, out of their beds and put them here, in Westeros. In that time, Artemis had not heard anything, not even a whisper, of her old friends' existence in this world, but news traveled slower than a snail's pace. Anything was possible as far as she was concerned though. She might have no idea where she was, but at least there was a chance she might see her old friends again one day. "Yeah I remember Lord Stark, why do you ask?" Artemis finally replied, leaning against the tree she had been running her hand over only a few moments ago. Her long bow and quiver were at her feet, leaning against the far older mighty pale white tree.

"Because I have a feeling I'm going to need people I trust at my side. You protected my family for almost two years, and you're a better marksmen than any I've ever seen. There was a rider from one of the neighboring Lords, a deserter is heading this way." She didn't need to hear more than that as Artemis slung her bow and quiver onto her back. She knew the way the world worked in this dimension. She also knew how Ned always acted with honor and gave respect only when it was due. The fact he was asking her to join him on the ride out to the field showed just how much he respected and trusted her.

"When do we leave?" While she didn't agree with the law of the land, more specifically the King's law, she couldn't change it. Besides, she had no right to protest anyway because of the simple fact the Starks had taken her in with almost no hesitation on their part. Even her old friends had not been so quick to trust her, except perhaps Dick. Catelyn Stark had surprised her especially, at first, but after getting to know the matron, Artemis understood why she had been so quick to trust the stranger. That was for later consideration though.

"We have a few hours yet Artemis. I need to get my family together and have horses prepared for the ride, but as soon as the man is captured, we will ride out and do what must be done." Ned put a hand on her shoulder when he saw the troubled look in the young archer's pale gray eyes. "I know you don't agree with his punishment Artemis; hold onto your compassion as long as you can. It's what truly makes you far stronger and braver than most men I have fought beside."

It was moments like this that she was grateful beyond words to have met Eddard Stark and his family as she offered a strong smile and a nod of her head before pulling her fur cloak closer around her body. "It's your law to execute deserters, and as long as you carry out the sentence to your own laws, it takes some of the sting out of the whole thing. I might not agree with it, but you've proven you're a man of your word more times than I can count Lord Stark. It's probably why I like you so much." It was also no secret, although she had to color some of her past to fit with this world's lack of technology, that her home life had been pretty bad. When your older sister was an assassin, your father was a master thief and career criminal, and your mother was a retired criminal, it was best to stick with the simple facts.

It was therefore no secret that Artemis had taken an instant liking to Eddard Stark and saw him as the father she wished she could have had growing up. To his credit, Stark had almost instantly perceived this and had made a habit of happening by to speak with her when she seemed distant or overly aggressive. It had taken most of the two years she had known them for her to admit anything beyond small snippets about her old life, but when she had, a lot of old questions finally had answers to them.

"Have I ever told you why I enjoy your company Artemis?" She didn't even get to venture a guess as the man continued without pause. "You aren't afraid of anything, or anyone, even me. You tell me your true feelings, not whatever you think I wish to hear. It's refreshing to talk with a person, besides my family, that doesn't feel the need to kiss my arse at every opportunity."

"It's a nice arse, or so I'd wager your wife thinks so." Artemis smirked as she got a rare laugh out of the normally stern but fair ruler beside her as they made their way back to the main castle grounds. "I've always been a straightforward type of person, that's one of the few good things I got from my family."

Before they reached the practice fields, Ned put a hand on Artemis's shoulder again and stopped her. "You're not your family Artemis Lian Crock. And I would have been a fool to judge you by their actions, instead of your own."

"Does that silver tongue work on everyone or just our own personal Crock O Shit?" Judging by the angry look Theon cast the blonde, he was still indignant over his freshly broken nose. "Since you spend so much time with this arrogant little bitch, maybe it's being used for more than talking. Or so the rumors would have us believe."

Her bow was out and knocked before Theon could draw another breath, as an arrow flew over his shoulder and found the practice target's center. Robb and Brandon Stark were impressed, needless to say, while Theon Greyjoy was pale as a ghost from the purposeful miss of his person. Eddard was still mainly focused on the man's insult however. "Good form Artemis. The next time that mouth of yours opens Theon, I might be tempted to let her put one of her arrows in it." Artemis's arrow was quickly joined by another, a display of talent that impressed even the highly gifted blonde archer.

"Maybe she won't have to." Arya Stark glared at Theon before taking a small bow, much to most of the gathered people's amusement. It looked like the young girl had been paying attention to Artemis's lessons after all. It was no secret that the youngest daughter of the Stark family was always underfoot of everyone, sticking her nose where it didn't belong at times. Artemis had merely given into her incessant pleading and, with the head of the Stark household's permission, had been teaching Arya and Brandon the art of the bow. Even the elder Stark boys had taken an interest after a while, and despite Theon's arrogance and belief women didn't belong on the battlefield, he at least took notes whenever Artemis was teaching.

"Thanks Arya Underfoot." Arya blushed at Artemis's pet name for her and the older archer just smiled at her young pupil. "Make sure to lift your strong arm higher next time Lady Stark." Artemis hadn't needed to actually see Arya's form and posture to know what she needed to do to improve her next shot.

"For the hundredth time, call me Arya!" Robb had to bite the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing at the indignant look on his sister's face. Catelyn Stark, joined by her husband on the walkway that was part of the inner wall, only smiled and shook her head at the antics of the blonde archer and her youngest daughter.

"That girl is tempting fate as always I see." Ned only chuckled and shrugged at his wife's comment since it was true. "And you do nothing to stop them, as always." There was only amusement on the woman's face, especially after she felt her husband's arm fall across her shoulders.

"Whatever you say...Lady Stark." Artemis only added to the fire by giving the irritated girl a small bow of respect of her own. She merely stepped to the side when Arya charged her, a giant smile on her face, and tripped the young Stark girl as she passed. Holding her hand out to the now dirt smeared girl, Artemis helped Arya to her feet even as she tried to wave her away. "Mind your feet there Arya Underfoot, maybe you should pay more attention to Bran?"

"Ah Arty, mother never likes me climbing around, you know that." The young Stark belatedly realized what he had just said in front of his mother. "Not that I ever climb on things." Artemis had purposely lead the young Stark into that verbal trap, and now he was in over his head and he knew it.

It only took a moment for Catelyn to join them on the field and bend down so she was eye to eye with her young son. "Oh I'm afraid your confession has already sealed your fate Bran." Catelyn said with a wry smirk as she ruffed the guilty looking boy's hair. "Don't do it again, or Artemis will be shooting apples off your head to entertain us."

"Really?! Can she? That would be amazing!" The Stark matriarch just rolled her eyes at her overjoyed son and shook her head in amused irritation. It took every ounce of willpower the archer had not to laugh at the exuberant look on Bran's face as Artemis met Catelyn's gaze.

A hint of a smile graced the archer's lips. "Don't worry, I hate to waste good fruit Lady Stark. Especially apples." There was a personal reason for that, but it barely flickered across Artemis's mind as she turned her gaze just in time to catch sight of the literal bastard of the family.

"It's about the only thing that grows out here in the North." Jon Snow said, a small smirk on his face as he passed by to talk with the castle's blacksmith.

"I've noticed...I'd kill for a decent kiwi." Artemis suddenly tensed up at the curious looks the other family members gave her. "It's a fruit from home." She rubbed the back of her head in mild embarrassment, a red tint coloring her cheeks that had nothing to do with the cold.

Robb Stark was the first to pick up on her mild discomfort, and quickly decided to cheer her up. "No need to be bashful Artemis, you're much better at _bashing_. Maybe today is the day I finally best you in a match?"

"If she doesn't cheat." Theon muttered under his breath, but luckily Artemis didn't hear him as she pulled the castle forged sword from the sheath on her back and smirked at the eldest of the Stark boys.

As the steel glinted in the sunlight, her wolfish smile sent a pleasant tingle down Robb's spine. "Well, shall we find out if you're man enough Robb? Or you could just concede now and save me the time of putting you in the dirt."

"Do you always talk this much before you lose?" Robb smirked as he raised his own sword. For the purpose of their practice fight, they knew only to use the flat of their swords so as not to dull the razor sharp edge of the blades themselves. "Well, come on then, are you going to attack or just stand there looking stunning as usual?"

Everyone wisely took several steps back to give the two the room they'd need, as Artemis hung her cloak on the fence by the archery field. Her smirk only grew wider as she took her stance before charging forward. Training with heroes of all sorts back home had honed her body to the peak of physical condition. She had never trained in heavy armor like Robb Stark however, so what he lacked in speed he made up for in stamina and endurance. As Artemis charged towards the confident swordsman, he prepared himself for any of the various tricks she always employed.

Today she had a new one planned however. Just as he was about to meet her head on, she slid on her right side, less than an inch away from the edge of his sword, making Robb hesitate just long enough to allow her to get her sword's point lined up with his groin. At first, he was amused and simply thought she had tripped, then he looked down at her true target. There was no way he could get out of the cleverly implemented maneuver without losing his 'sword'. Sighing, the elder Stark sibling saluted her with his blade, ending the match. "I yield Artemis."

"A little lesson for you to remember Robb, never trust me to fight fairly." She could fight with honor if she wanted, but in her experience, honorable men tended to become dead men. That was the only fear she had for Eddard Stark, that his honor would stop him from making a decision that could very well save his life later. "Thanks for the match, you lasted a few seconds longer this time." Artemis quickly got to her feet and gave the already mortified man a playful tap on the ass with her sword as she walked by.

Their fun and merriment came to an end however when the messenger that Eddard knew would come when rumor reached him of the deserter finally appeared. "My Lord and Lady! They have captured the deserter, a man of the Night's Watch as we thought."

"Robb, Theon, Jon, Bran. Get ready to leave." He didn't have to look at Artemis or Catelyn to know neither approved of his order to take Bran with them to see a public execution, but Artemis at least agreed with him on some level. Brandon wouldn't be a child forever, and winter was coming.

**King's Landing**

**Zatanna Zatara, and Megan Morse.**

Today was a bad day to be in King's Landing. Lord Hand Jon Arryn, husband to Lysa Arryn, Defender of the Vale, Warden of the East, and the Lord of the Eyrie was dead.

"_How can you stand listening to Tyrion's thoughts all day I'll never know M'gann."_ They were on the other side of the main hall where the latest King's Hand was laid out on a stone slab, unaware of Cersei and Jamie's presence not thirty paces away. It didn't come as a surprise to either of them that the King's Hand had been poisoned, but because of their very tenuous situation they weren't in a position to deal out justice to his killer. They were in a city full of vipers; everyone was out to improve their own standing, and alliances had a tendency to shift and change at the drop of a hat. Hat tricks might have been Zatanna's specialty back home, but here, it took every shred of her training to stay ahead of the dozens of schemes that threatened their new lives in this new world.

If not for their unusual relationship with Tyrion Lannister, the Imp as he was called behind his back, they might not have done nearly so well as they had. When Klarion's spell had been cast, they had wound up falling on his balcony to his private quarters in the capital of Westeros. And the rest was history, as they say.

"_I would rather listen to the lewd thoughts that pass through his mind then the web of lies and deceit that coats this city like dust, Zatanna. I thought Gotham was corrupt, but King's Landing? We can't prove that the Hand was poisoned, let alone who ordered it done, for fear of having our heads removed and put on spikes over the gates."_ Megan sighed as she looked down at Jon Arryn's corpse as the priestesses made one final pass over his body with their incense bowls and banners before departing the hall. All the proof they needed of how far the city was from being saved from its own corruption was laid out on display.

Then there was the more physical proof that their stay in the corrupt city had changed both women quite a bit. Playing the part of Tyrion's 'guards', and supposed whores, had required a drastic wardrobe change for Zatanna at least. M'gann and her bio clothes allowed her to change her entire outer appearance with a thought, but she still kept a chest full of clothes to keep up appearances.

Matching Zatanna's height and weight was depressingly easy for the alien shapeshifter, but she kept her human appearance from her time on Earth. The freckles had disappeared, but her amber eyes, short red hair, and light skin had remained. Her general appearance had matured slightly as well, to appear as a twenty year old human girl in the prime of her youth.

Zatanna's already alluring form had only grown more so in the two years of being in Westeros. Deciding to allow her raven black hair to grow to the small of her back, the magician's curvaceous and slender frame fit the profile of one of Tyrion's bedmates far better than Megan's. Her bright cyan eyes only finished the overall pleasing appearance that Zatanna pulled off with very little trouble or effort. Of course, the low cut dresses made of some of the finest silks this side of the Narrow Sea also helped to complete the image they had crafted for their 'roles' in the Game.

Speaking of the littlest Lord, both women turned their heads to the small man that approached them when they 'felt' his presence moments later. "_I find that insulting, not all of my thoughts are lewd in nature. Most I'll grant you, but not quite all. And you're absolutely right my dear. Your heads are far prettier where they currently reside._" He wouldn't admit it, even on his deathbed, but Tyrion felt a pang of concern for his rather 'unique' guards. Megan, or rather M'gann, was ill suited for the nest of vipers that King's Landing truly was. But, her strange powers more than made up for the former naive nature she had when she had first arrived. Stranger still was the fact the other, Zatanna or Zat as he sometimes called her, had genuine magic behind her, much like the Children of legend. "_Two years in this pit and you still manage to hold onto your morales. I almost envy you two. Almost. Having a conscience is going to ensure things end badly for you, and possibly me as well. And I'm particularly fond of living."_

"_Try all you like Tyrion, but you can't hide the fact you care for our safety, and the fact that you care about the people of this city. Even if half of them would rather see the royal family pissed on after being burned to ashes."_ Zatanna smirked at the Imp, who had joined them by the railing. As usual, he tried to feign boredom, but his thoughts, as always, gave him away. Or perhaps, he purposely let his 'guards' hear them at times. Even M'gann wasn't entirely sure on that point.

Regardless, the only reason they suspected he had been poisoned was because Jon Arryn had been a good man, but he had started asking questions. Questions they feared that had gotten him killed. Surviving the Mad King apparently hadn't endeared him to his new enemies much. "_Robert Baratheon, and the army he raised in rebellion, did King's Landing and the whole of Westeros a favor by removing the Mad King. No country deserves to be ruled by a tyrant."_ Even Tyrion Lannister agreed with the strange girl's assessment. He knew Jamie would never admit it, but being in that man's service had nearly broken him. If nothing else could be said about him, Tyrion Lannister loved his family, no matter how fucked up they happened to be.

"_Unless that tyrant happens to be me of course. And are we speaking from experience M'gann? Queen Bee of your world's Bialya must have been a nasty cunt, for you to have such venom in your thoughts. I find this darker side of you positively...stimulating." _Tyrion could almost feel the secretive girl's eyes boring into the back of his head. Getting her to show the slightest frustration was a game he readily enjoyed playing. Even so, he put a hand on her back and sighed as he looked to the dead man below them. "_As much as I might hate my father at times, he would not have had the Hand poisoned. He was too useful and well liked by the people to be tossed aside. Arryn found something out, something that got him killed. We'll have to be extra cautious from here on out I'm afraid."_

"_We weren't already being cautious?"_ Zatanna asked, already hating the Game with a passion as it were. M'gann purposely sent her 'outfits' to be washed and cleaned and sewn back together on occasion, just to keep her end of things going. Zatanna saved her magic and actually changed clothes like a normal person. She had found more than one of the numerous spies in the city following her however, and had sent a duplicate of herself off to mislead her unwanted tails on many occasions. As long as they were trapped in this world, they had no choice in the matter but to play along, just like the rest. "_Have I ever said I hate this fucking Game you nobles play?"_

"_I know you do Zat; you're a perfectly sane beautiful young woman, and a very dangerous enemy in a pinch. Having you two beside me has made me realize just how lucky I am. Mostly because I get to gloat endlessly about how wonderful it is to fuck you. Just for the sake of keeping up appearances, before you glare at me yet again M'gann. As beautiful as you two are, I would never touch you in such an unseemingly manner."_ It wasn't fear for his own head that kept Tyrion's hands from wandering, it was because he respected them too much to sully them in such a fashion. He still couldn't resist goading them from time to time, even though he knew the answer would always remain the same. "_Unless you want me to? No? Oh well. Your loss."_

It had been a long time since Tyrion's rude humor had actually bothered Zatanna, now she actually found it amusing and even a little charming. "_Since the day we met you Tyrion, I never thought these words would come out of my mouth...head...whatever. You may be the only half decent noble left in this entire disgusting, rotten to the core, disease that you call a city."_

"_And that would be putting it in the kindest fashion you could Zat. I have a few choice words I could use myself, but King's Landing is home until my father says otherwise, so best grow used to being in this rotten city. Still, if it's any consolation you two, no matter what might happen next, I have enjoyed our time together. Even if I am slow to admit it even to myself, you have made me a better Lannister. I'm down to only seven whores and five barrels of wine a week." _Sadly, both women could testify to the fact that that was indeed a massive improvement over the amounts of excess Tyrion had enjoyed when they had dropped into his life. Literally.

Luckily, they had fallen on him while he was getting his wine glass filled for only the second time that morning, and even more luckily, he had been at least partially clothed. Had they arrived ten minutes later, he might have been drunk enough to ask them if they wished to join the orgy he had had planned for that day. But having been mostly sober at the time, he was able to realize the incredible nature of his strange visitors. It didn't take his keen mind more than five minutes to come to the conclusion that an apparent shape shifter / mind reader and a true magic user could be phenomenally deadly, not to mention useful. It helped that M'gann and Zatanna were intelligent and quick to adapt in their own way, and despite a rough beginning, had gotten used to being around the lecherous Imp as his exotic 'guards'.

Zatanna slightly nudged Tyrion as the funeral ceremony came to a close. The man had been lost in his thoughts, as he was prone to do when he was bored, and hadn't noticed his siblings approaching. "I see you saw fit to bring your whores, oh I do apologize, your _guards_ dear brother. At least you got out of bed long enough to attend these tragic proceedings."

There was one person in all of King's Landing that M'gann would have gladly renounced her vow to never abuse her powers again, and if not for the literal Hell that would grip the world if she struck down Cersei Lannister, the martian would have done it without a second thought. Robert Baratheon, despite all of his faults, still loved the ice cold hearted woman, and he would undoubtedly make heads roll until he found the one responsible for the deed. That was another problem with being in King's Landing; a single comment heard by the wrong person could eventually return to bite you in the ass later. If a single statement could do that, then actions against the crown had far more reaching consequences for everyone.

Zatanna wholeheartedly agreed with M'gann's hatred of Cersei, but she was more patient around the queen. Her scathing remarks still stung after two years, but the magician had yet to set the woman ablaze. Her father would have been proud of her restraint, but Zatanna did find it trying at times, dealing with the Lannisters' shit day in and day out. Jamie was tolerable, most days, but Cersei was far harder to deal with. All Zatanna had to do was look at Cersei's favored son, Joffrey, to have a reason to hate the queen's guts.

Fortunately, Tyrion's whip quick tongue retorted far faster than his guards could react. "You are as elegant and tactful as ever dear sister. But you know what they say about the pot defaming the kettle."

A sly grin appeared on Jamie's face as he bent over and whispered in his stature challenged brother's ear. "I don't really think black applies brother. I believe the color green would be far more appropriate." Showing exactly how impotent she was to harm him, Jamie gave a stunning smile to Megan as he returned to his full height. "My brother always seems to have...interesting taste in women. I thank you for your loyal _service _in saving him from himself, no doubt."

Zatanna had to grab Megan's arm behind Tyrion's back to stop her friend from reacting to the veiled reference to her nature. She couldn't risk a political incident, none of them could, especially against the Kingslayer and his sister. "Your brother is a better man than you give him credit for my Lord, he just needs a gentler hand than some." There was a double entendre in there, and Cersei scoffed at the image Megan had conjured for her while Jamie seemed almost amused by the 'whore's' choice of words.

Zatanna had to hide the smirk that wanted to form on her face as she came up with her own two coppers to include in the conversation. "M'lord, my friend is right. Lord Tyrion might be small in stature, but it's always the least looked upon you should worry the most about. They tend to surprise you."

"Mostly I find that they tend to be killed, or die in poverty. One mustn't be too concerned with the affairs of commoners." Cersei made a point of casting her brother a smug look. "Or the other lowly people that fill this world."

"_Oh if you only knew sweet sister."_ Tyrion 'thought', just able to hide the smirk that threatened to appear on his face since he knew that his 'guards' were far more than they appeared. So his brother had heard of Megan's true color when she was asleep, that was not a big threat at the end of the day as far as he was concerned. Most knew very little about the far reaches of the world, even the so-called authorities. If worst came to worst, he could simply say she was from a foreign land, far from the known world. Who would in their right mind would question a Lannister's word? Besides another Lannister, or someone of near equal importance or above such as the King, no one would dare. "And that is why I am glad I am a Lannister sweet sister. We always pay our debts, and usually tend to live longer than most. Now if you'll excuse me, I believe we have some packing to attend to. If Robert is as predictable as ever, we'll be going to Winterfell before too long."

"I would command you to leave your whores here, but I know you won't listen Tyrion. Do as you like, you always do anyway." Now that she was calm once more, Megan, Zatanna, and the man that could be grudgingly called their friend, simply turned around and bowed to the queen in their respective ways, snubbing Cersei and her brother in the politest way they could. When they were out of earshot, Cersei looked down to her hands and only then realized she had been digging her nails into the skin of her palms. "Why couldn't father have drowned him at birth? I'll never understand why he allowed that wretched, vile little Imp to live."

Jamie had to give Tyrion credit, no one else he knew could piss his sister off quite so easily and get away with it. "Well, you know how much father says we have to 'honor the family name' along with his other trite lessons."

What had to be the most notable trio in all of Westeros quickly made their way to Tyrion's private quarters post haste. While not especially receptive of the feelings of most women, Tyrion Lannister could read his unique guards like an open book, even without the telepathy linking them together. In the two years since becoming friends, of a sort, Tyrion had grown accustomed to having Zatanna and Megan in his mind and he in theirs. If not for that link, their alliance would not have fared so well. As strange as it had been at first, feeling their emotions and sharing their memories at times, it was something he would have missed quite a bit if it was ever taken away.

"_It sometimes bothers me just how much I wish I could kill your 'dear sister' Tyrion." _A subtle grin formed on Zatanna's lips as she imagined setting the woman on fire. Repeatedly. The image she shared with her two companions was enough to calm Megan's frayed nerves considerably, and even the martian, after Jamie's admittance of knowing something about her, had to smile at Zatanna's imagination.

"_How dare you imagine roasting my dear sister alive! That's my favorite pass time, I'm afraid you will have to get your own Zat."_ It was all the three could do not to burst out into apparently random fits of laughter as they reached their destination shortly thereafter.

"_At least you don't have the power to leave them all in a vegetative state. That is a fate worse than death, and one I used...and regretted afterward. In the case of Cersei and Jamie Lannister however, it's a miracle I haven't done it again."_ She didn't want to be _that _person again, but every day it got harder so long as she was in the royal family's presence.

Even Tyrion could tell just how hard it was for M'gann to restrain the 'beast' she had once been, going by some of the stories he had heard from the two women. But, he was not as concerned about the possibility of the compassionate and empathic M'gann falling off the deep end. Sitting her down at the small table, which ironically had been the same table he had been at when they had first arrived, Tyrion made it a point to squeeze her right hand between his own and met her gaze before 'speaking' again. "_You worry too much, my compassionate Rose. If it makes you feel any better, I completely understand your desire to do them harm, but I know you're too good of a person to actually do so."_

M'gann managed to give the little Lord a slight smile; he always knew just what to say to cheer her up. "_I wish I was as confident of that as you are, Tyrion."_ The Lannister knew that mercy and kindness were traits that more often than not would get you killed in King's Landing, or worse. Yet he always felt compelled to encourage their continued existence in both of his unusual charges. Without those two traits, he doubted they'd be the same people he had come to enjoy having in his life.

"_Then be glad that if things go as I know they are likely to, you will be meeting a truly honorable man, and his family, before the month is out. Lord Eddard Stark, the Lord of the Northlands, is one of the few people Robert can turn to in a time of crisis. Without Jon serving as his Hand, Ned will no doubt be asked to take up the mantle. If you wish, you may stay in Winterfell. I believe you would be far safer there, given the increasingly annoying attempts to discover more of our shared secrets."_

"_You wouldn't survive a week without us Tyrion."_ Zatanna replied, her smirk hiding how truly touched she was by his offer to leave them with a far better family and living situation than they had now. M'gann was also shocked, but not as much by Tyrion's surprising offer. She had always known, from day one as a matter of fact, that there was a truly good man underneath the bullshit veneer Tyrion projected to everyone around him. "_As much as we might hate it here Tyrion, we owe you a lot for what you've done for us in the two years since we've been together. I know I wouldn't feel right leaving you alone with your screwed up family."_ What Zatanna didn't say was that she almost considered Tyrion like the brother she never had. Leaving him would be like losing her father all over again.

The Lannister managed to give Zatanna a look that screamed 'Are you an idiot?', while never losing the twinkle in his eyes. "_Screwed up? Try morbidly psychotic and devious to boot, but my offer still stands. If you ever tell anyone this I will deny it to my dying breath but, incredibly selfish as I am, I would rather my neck be in the proverbial noose than either of yours."_

"_Zatanna's right Tyrion. You accepted me after some...explanation, and treated me with more respect than anyone else in your world, or on my homeworld for that matter."_ M'gann couldn't come out and say it either, but Tyrion Lannister was the closest thing to the eccentric father figure she could have wished for in Westeros. Even her own biological father hadn't been nearly as protective of her as the littlest Lannister was, and it helped that he was a forward thinker, even in such a backwards place. Seven Hells take her if she even considered abandoning him to the machinations of his own family.

"_It's nice to know that even vastly advanced civilizations are just as stupid as my own. Anyone who would mistreat you for the color of your skin should have been cast into the Seven Hells long ago."_ He'd never admit it either, but he was truly and deeply touched that they would risk their lives for him,even if King's Landing made them absolutely miserable. It spoke volumes about their character, as well as their steadfast loyalty that he would never betray. "_Well, we'd best start packing. I doubt Robert will wait more than a few days, a week at most. The fat bastard does crave a good adventure when he gets the opportunity, I'll give him that."_

Zatanna's 'mouth' was quicker than the hand she used to deal from a deck of cards. "_You mean when he isn't hunting, drinking, and whoring himself into an early grave?"_ As degrading as the thought was, it was no secret to anyone that the King indulged himself far too much. Not even the deceased Hand had been able to talk sense into Robert about his excessive habits, some of which put even Tyrion's to shame.

"_I suppose you want me to take some type of lesson from that Zat? I fear I am a terrible student when it comes to reining in one's vices. Feel free to keep on trying though, I do so love the frustrated looks you give me."_ As if to show just how futile a quest that was, their patron downed an entire glass of wine in one large gulp.

"_You might wake up one day and find the bed is smoldering if I get frustrated enough."_ Zatanna grinned while M'gann stifled the giggle that wanted to escape her lips. Tyrion merely rolled his eyes, and gave one of his best shit eating grins he was capable of.

"_My dear Zat, is that sexual tension I hear in your voice? You know, I hear Petyr Baelish is having a special on his best whores this weekend. Perhaps you should go indulge yourself...for once. I know I'm going to, repeatedly. As much as I'm sure I'll enjoy freezing my balls off in the North, I plan on staying a bit warmer at night until then."_ Neither woman could honestly blame him if the stories about the North, and the infamous Wall, were true. While M'gann was suited for the cold, she knew that humans weren't so easily able to adapt. Given Tyrion's preferences for the warmer climes, and warm beds for that matter, he would no doubt be miserable in the cold and far less comfortable accommodations of the North.

"_Haven't you learned Tyrion? Lannisters aren't the only people that pay their debts. A magician scorned, especially a female magician, is one enemy you don't want to make."_ Megan replied, standing from the table before going to the nearest dresser to prepare for the trip. "Come on Lord Tyrion, no need to waste time, we at least should get started right? We'll have some left over...later." 'Playing the part' wasn't so hard for M'gann, even if it left a bad taste in the martian's mouth to keep up the appearance of Zatanna and herself playing bed warmers to the little lord.

"_You ruined a perfectly good joke, with a not so veiled twist on my House's own motto, while managing to scare the piss right out of me at the same time. Nicely done." _The smirk on Tyrion's face never faltered, even as he too rose from the small table and considered which books he'd be taking with him for the impending trip to the North. "Oh my dear 'Rose', if you weren't so good at sucking my cock, I would never stand such impertinence."

In an odd way, it troubled Tyrion that he couldn't even do his part around the two girls to make their little show all the more convincing, without feeling a slight twinge of guilt. The fact that the two had become lovers over the last year had assuaged some of that guilt. It kept them sane and provided a way to relieve stress, and Tyrion usually either hung around and read a book, with a silence spell over his head until they were done, or went out in public with duplicates of the two women while the real Zatanna and Megan took care of business. He could easily understand why they never availed themselves of his favorite hobby. Why would you want to fuck a possible spy when you could make love to your trusted friend instead? It certainly occurred to him, several times, how utterly insane it was for him to sit reading A History of Westeros while two beautiful women made love in the next room. _Oh the tortures I submit to for my friends..._

The closest he had ever gotten to actually playing the part completely was Zatanna offering to make a duplicate of herself for his use, but to their sheer shock and surprise, Tyrion had bluntly refused. She had tried to explain that she wouldn't technically feel a thing, that it was really a pale imitation of the real magician, but the Lannister had again refused. His reasoning had been simple, and probably the most honest they had ever heard him, at that time. "_She still looks just like you Zatanna, and I would still feel as if I was abusing you in some way. I will not let that stand, even if it would make this whole Game that much more convincing."_ That had been the night he had earned their utter respect and loyalty. The affair had been six months into their stay in King's Landing, and their friendship had only improved from there.

"Then I'll just have to continue impressing you, Little Lord." "_At least that part is true." _It always brought a smile to Tyrion's face when M'gann giggled, glad she had kept that innocent habit as well.

**Free City of Pentos**

**Connor Kent**

How he hadn't completely destroyed Viserys Targaryen was anyone's guess. Standing silent watch in the back of the small gathering that was constantly around the would be king of the Seven Kingdoms, Connor Kent, Cadmus clone and a member of the team, had to remember who he was there to protect. Daenerys, the timid, quiet sister to the temperamental asshole, needed protection from more than her brother's whims. There had been at least three attempts on the Targaryen's lives since he had been a part of their loyal guards, and each time the assassins had been beaten back if not left in a pile of broken body parts. It was the only thing that kept Connor from doing the same to Viserys, but everyday it grew harder for him to hold his temper in check.

He had lost count of the number of sword hilts he had bent out of shape when he clenched his hand too tightly anytime he was asked to watch over the soon to be sold off Daenerys, and Viserys happened to be in the same room. If not for his years on the team back home, the constant training and all the time spent with his 'father', the real Superman, Clark Kent, Conner doubted he'd have done half as well as he had thus far in restraining himself. Especially at that very moment, as it always sickened him to see Daenerys being touched by her brother.

_Waking the dragon indeed. That pissant doesn't know anything of the world. I don't care if his father was the King once, he was one Targaryen that would have been better off dead._ Conner thought to himself as he turned his back to the now undressed Daenerys, doing his best to ignore the words he could hear whispered between the brother and sister. His superior senses were a curse in cases like this. Just like the real Superman, the clone's body was superhuman in every way, and when you could hear and see better than the average person by far, there was little point in trying to distance yourself from the man you hated with a passion.

So focused was he on blocking out the disgusting way the man handled his own sister, Conner didn't hear Viserys approach until the man was right behind him. It took every bit of his restraint he had not to turn around and shove Viserys' head down his throat when the bastard brushed by the kryptonian clone, and smirked over his shoulder at Conner on his way out the door. _Not everyone is out to please your twisted ego pal._ "The water's too hot m'lady." Conner looked over his shoulder when one of the servant's noted on the temperature of the water, but it didn't take a mind reader to see that Dany wasn't feeling the heat. If anything, she seemed to thrive in it.

"Would it bother you if I said I hated your brother's guts?" Conner asked, his back still turned away from the beautiful if timid young woman. The servants were wise enough to hold their tongues around the seemingly invincible young bodyguard. Spears, lances, swords, shields; all of them and more broke against Conner, leaving only bruises and small cuts behind that disappeared in hours, if not sooner. To be more accurate, he broke them, and the stupid men that wielded them, with ease. It was what had allowed him to stay in the employ of Viserys and his sister, his seemingly unstoppable physical nature.

Conner had no doubt that dragon glass, castle forged steel, and valyrian forged weapons could hurt him a great deal, but out in these lands, few people had such quality in their blades. The only reason he knew about any of them was that Viserys, despite all of his faults, was intelligent and he was also a chatty drunk. He liked to brag and boast about the sword he carried, among other things.

Unbeknownst to even her own brother however, Connor had learned of a stronger side to the pale woman. She was smarter and far more patient than he would have imagined upon first meeting her. "No...it would not Ser Kent. Please do not let my brother's less than elegant ways trouble you. I have learned that patiently abiding him is far superior than dealing with his immature wrath."

"You remind me of one of my old mentors from home, the way you're able to hold your true colors in check, even in the face of that pompous ass." Black Canary, the martial arts trainer and psychologist for the young team, came to mind anytime he was in Dany's presence, alone as they were now. Both women were far more than they appeared.

"It's a Game I have managed to become very adept at, since I had no choice but to play my part. You may turn around now Ser Kent, if you wish." While most only saw a fragile looking young blonde woman, Connor could always see the hidden fire in her eyes. He didn't need superhuman senses to see it either, but he was far more perceptive than most because of his time around people that hid so much about themselves on a regular basis. He hoped that spark of defiance in her soul would one day see her free of her abusive, and cruel, elder sibling. Connor had, unbeknownst to her brother, helped fan that spark, but it was slow going. Two years didn't undo a lifetime of cruelty and having to hide everywhere you went for fear of royal assassins catching up with you.

Connor found himself tongue tied for a moment as he took in the gossamer white wedding gown that had almost been poured onto the older woman. Being born a force grown clone made virtually everyone older than him biologically, but Connor didn't concentrate on that detail as he did his best to hide the blush on his cheeks at the mere sight of Dany. "I hate to admit it, but your brother has good taste. In clothing at least. Don't tell him I said this either, but he's right, you do slouch too much. You're a beautiful, strong woman Daenerys; be proud you're not like him in any way."

Coming from Connor, the words didn't make her skin crawl, like her brother's had. It helped that he wasn't feeling up her breasts of course. "I thank you for your honesty, and I shall not speak of the unheard of event of your actually agreeing with my brother on anything." The mischievous twinkle in Daenerys' eyes never failed to put a grin on Connor's face. "Now let me be honest with you in kind. I know how trying he is, but I am eternally grateful you haven't killed him Ser Kent. We both know how easily you could do it."

From someone that had no true blood family to call his own, Connor's next words weren't lost on the Targaryen woman, having heard part of his story, edited as it had been so she could understand what he had been through. "You've lost enough Dany. Your home, your friends, everything. I would never deprive you of the last remaining relative you have left, even if he's a terrible person."

"I would tell you that I wish to mellow his more harsh qualities, but I know my brother will never be changed. Despite his claims, he is no dragon, if anything, he is a foul tempered lizard that is doomed to be crushed under another's boot." The imagery Dany painted for Connor made the small smile on his face grow considerably as he fell in step behind the better half of the remaining Targaryens.

As much as he hated the arranged marriage to the coming Khal Drogo, he knew that without a strong army at their back, there would be no hope of retaking Dany's home. Connor didn't relish the thought of fighting in a war that wasn't his own, but if it meant keeping the woman safe, then he'd do what he had to do. It was no secret to the kryptonian that Dany didn't want to go through with the marriage either, but the desire to go home overruled her desire to run away and never look back.

And Dany was done running. "Time to meet my future husband, I hope Khal Drogo will find me acceptable. This is truly the last chance my family has of reclaiming its rightful place in Westeros."

"A blind man could see how beautiful and kind you are Dany. This Drogo is an idiot if he can't see something so obvious." The 'timid' girl returned as they exited the home of their current host with her bodyguard by her side, much to Viserys' silent annoyance. Connor could feel the man's eyes on his back until he took his place on his sister's right side, but the smirk on the clone's face never faltered. Even as Dany was held back and told about the Khal's reputation as the most savage killer in the land, Connor had won the day by annoying Visy even in the slightest.

Connor found his hand tightening around the hilt of his sword, yet again, as Dany approached the rather stern looking man at the front of a small group on horseback. He spoke but a few words, more like grunted them out, and then rode off without a look back. "That's it? He didn't say anything, did he like her?"

Before Illyrio could say anything to the aptly named Beggar Prince, Connor beat him to the punch as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I have a feeling we'd know if he didn't." While everyone else added some kind of respectful title to Viserys whenever they spoke to him, not once had Connor done so. It was just one of the things that drove the would be King insane with rage that Connor was able to get away with.

"Your arrogant tongue is getting to be an overly burdensome annoyance _boy_. I think I shall finally cut it out for you." Viserys immediately turned on his heel and pulled his sword from its sheath, but Connor was the faster as his sword's tip stopped at the man's throat, freezing him to the spot.

His blue eyes narrowed to slits as he casually walked around Viserys, his sword's tip never wavering from its spot against the man's neck. "I promised I would never kill you Viserys, but I'm not an enemy you want to make. I'm here to protect _her_, not you. So don't tempt me _Dragonborn._ And just so we're clear, Daenerys is more of a dragon than you could ever be."

"How dare-" Connor jabbed the man's throat hard enough to draw blood and he finally seemed to realize the tenuous nature of his situation. "I believe I shall retire for the day sister, your simpleton brute has given me a terrible headache."

A gentle hand on Connor's arm made the clone relax and lower his sword, letting Viserys run with his pride and enormous ego at least partially intact. "I don't know whether to congratulate your boldness young Ser or to warn you of the repercussions that are likely to fall on you." Illyrio smiled regardless as he returned to his palatial estate, having a Dothraki wedding to prepare for in the near future.

**The Wall**

**Bart Allen**

"Too slow!" Bart had never been hit, but the recruits he was training now, and had trained, knew that the punches he threw hurt. Even the punches they never saw coming hurt a great deal, as the many painful bruises, cuts, and welts could attest to already. Today was worse given the recent losses the Night's Watch had endured, not to mention the fact that they were still missing three men. "Pain is up here, learn to deal with it." Tapping the side of his head with his right index finger, Bart gave the downed recruits time to recover as he continued his lecture. "Fear is a choice, make it before it decides for you." A man gasping for air was pulled to his feet a fraction of a second later. "Either you're going to defend yourself and the man standing beside you, or you aren't." No matter how bad things got in one of Bart's lessons, the instructor always made it a point to soothe their egos and their prides by being kind to the recruits afterwards. He had gained an instant following because of it.

And then there was Allisor Thorne, a man that was cruel, bitter, and harsh to the extreme. Bart always thought of Black Beetle when in the drill master's presence. "It seems you're still the least useless person here Allen. All right you pathetic little cunts! Go clean yourselves up and stop disgracing this place!"

"It's bad enough that I humiliate them per our leaders' orders, but you don't have to humiliate them too Thorne. Would it kill you to pretend to be human?" Bart was ready for the inevitable tirade, but it never came as Lord Commander Jeor Mormont stepped in before they could come to blows, again.

Walking down the stairs from the castle keep, the man had a good view of the area below as he addressed his men. "The boy has a point, Thorne. We need more well trained men, not broken husks. You're going good lad; I already overheard them plotting how to work together in order to best you next time." The Lord Commander gave Bart a rare grin as he continued. "That is exactly the kind of thing we need in the Night's Watch, those that band together for a common cause. There isn't enough of that to go around in these dark days."

After putting the goggles back on the top of his head, the only part of his old costume he had kept, Bart couldn't help the smirk on his face as he rubbed the bottom of his chin with the back of his right wrist. "Thanks old man Mormont- err High Lord Ultra Commander."

Mormont only raised an amused eyebrow, long used to Bart's usual disregard for most authority. Thorne only grunted in annoyance and walked away. The 'lad' that had become the new favorite in the span of a mere two years on the Wall had to sleep sometime. The boy would get his just punishment one day, of that he was sure. Luckily for Bart, most of the other brothers of the Watch either saw what a great help he was to them, or had become friends with the impulsive young warrior.

Despite his jovial attitude, Bart suspected Thorne would try something sooner or later. Where he came from, it had been kill or be killed. He recognized a potential threat when he saw one, and the horrors he had witnessed in the bleak future that was no longer a part of the world he had left behind would have broken even Thorne. _Make your plans Alliser, I'll be ready._ He had fought and defeated far worse men than Alliser Thorne with one hand tied behind his back. Even so, Bart wouldn't underestimate him.

It had taken them months to accept his strange abilities, even Mormont had been slow to trust him at first, but things had changed for the better. The day he had single handedly rescued a raiding party that had foolishly gone far beyond the Wall, was the day he had earned the respect of the Night's Watch. Fool recruits, seeking to prove themselves in a land that killed men as easily as the beasts and wildlings that called it home, had gotten themselves in over their heads. While they had been punished for their stupidity, Bart would still get the occasional nod of thanks, even the better part of a year later. It probably had just as much to do with the fact he had pleaded with the Lord Commander to show them leniency, as it did with the fact he had saved their lives.

The only downside to being the fastest man in Westeros was that he had the metabolism to match. Luckily, Mormont turned a blind eye to Bart's need to hunt far beyond the Wall in search of his own food, so long as he brought back a share of his success to the barracks to share among the men. Meat graced the tables nearly every night, something that had been unheard of before his arrival. A specially made sled helped ease the burden of dragging the dead animals back to be served to the men later, once they had been properly prepared. Even before leaving the dark future he had grown up in behind, Bart had been an accomplished hunter. His time in the Night's Watch had only made him a better tracker. They had taught him tricks even he hadn't considered before.

Despite all of his tricks and his abilities, they still had three missing rangers out beyond the Wall, and Bart felt responsible. Mormont put a hand on his young friend's shoulders, drawing the speedster out of his dark thoughts. "Look lad, you haven't taken your vows, but you're more of a brother of the Watch than most of the men here. You've done far better work and far more to aid our number than twenty of our rangers put together. You have nothing to be ashamed of and you are not responsible for ill fate taking three of our boys. But I'll stop you before you even ask permission. Go, find them if you can, and if you can't, find out what happened to them." Bart's face lit up like it was his Nameday before he left a black blur behind in his wake, a blast of wind following behind him as the speedster ran down the Wall itself and into the land beyond. "Good luck lad."

Seven Hells take him if he couldn't find three missing rangers. He wouldn't stop looking until he had something concrete to bring back to Mormont, be it good news or bad. It took him the better part of that day, backtracking the trail the rangers had left behind, but Bart found his answers when night had fallen. "Oh I am seriously feeling the mode right now." Old blood on the ground, the signs of a fight, and the hoof prints of the rangers' horses were evident enough even in the failing light. It wasn't until he came across the remains of the wildings' camp that he started to wonder if he hadn't gotten himself into trouble.

The depressions in the snow where the bodies had been left to sit in a very particular pattern made Bart nervous as he knelt at the edge of the site, examining what clues there were to see. Something had taken the time to arrange the corpses. The fact the corpses weren't there anymore made the speedster even more nervous, having heard the old stories the Night's Watch told the new recruits, having been one himself not so long ago. He was starting to wonder if they weren't just stories anymore.

Unsheathing the daggers he kept on his belt, Bart felt a chill go down his spine as he thought he saw a pair of blue eyes peering back at him for a moment before they disappeared. He wasn't alone in the woods, and the fact he felt like he had suddenly become the hunted only added to the tension in the air. "This is so not crash. Is anyone out there?! I'm looking for-" Bart caught a flicker of movement in his peripheral vision and barely had time to duck when a blade came out of the dark, held by a recently dead man with icy blue eyes. Since half of his chest was hanging open, that pretty much answered the question of his current state of health. The fact he was all in black also told Bart who he had once been.

"Oh this is so not crash at all. I'm sorry man, but it's either you or me tonight, and I prefer to live. At least I can help you rest in peace, and as a bonus you'll be all the proof old man Mormont needs." Bart wasted no time in slicing up the man before the former ranger literally fell apart before his eyes. He made it a point to keep the head in one piece so it'd be easier to identify who the man had been, but as soon as Bart went to pick it up, the Wight's eyes opened again and the head tried to take a bite out of his hand. "Now I just need you to start saying 'you will never find the Necronomicon' and we'd have the perfect rendition of Army of Darkness going here." Bart quickly threw together a simple sled, and then very carefully tossed the head onto it first before adding the rest of the body. It was just in time because he could have sworn he had seen three more sets of icy blue eyes in the dark in the few seconds it had taken him to make his sled.

He had a feeling there were more he wasn't seeing among the ice and snow. He was the fastest man in Westeros, but even Bart had his limits, and he wasn't about to take on an army of undead creatures in the frigid dark night. "See ya!" Grabbing onto the handlebars of his improvised sled, the speedster took off just as the trap started to close in around him as a dozen Wights stepped out of the trees around him. He barely had time to run to the side when a straggler swung its axe at him, leaving a painful shallow cut on his left side, but he was out of reach long before the Wight got a chance to try it again.

"And I thought the Reach was bad...at least they weren't freakin' ice zombies." Even as the boy laughed at his own joke, he was terrified inside that he had been a split second away from a fate worse than death. He was never going to wander so far from the Wall again after tonight, even during his hunting trips. That last close shave had been far too close for his liking. Getting back to Castle Black in a miniscule fraction of the time it would have taken a raiding party, Bart took a moment to catch his breath.

"You're getting slow lad." Benjan Stark smirked, having had a feeling their resident speedster would be coming. He never took more than a day at most to return from a mission in any case, and the First Ranger had volunteered to wait for his return. Seeing the sled several feet behind the young man, Benjan felt all of his good humor disappear when he saw the grisly cargo Bart had brought back. "That's far enough lad, the Lord Commander would cut my balls off if I let you bring _that bloody thing_ beyond the Wall. Just take the head, easy enough to burn this lot in the meantime."

"Don't mind if I do Benny boy. I need a bandage anyway, got myself marked by one of that thing's friends on my way back." Bart was immensely relieved just to be back at Castle Black as he looked at the First Ranger with the same respect he had for Mormont. "If you plan to go out there, watch yourself Benjan. I don't think the rest of the Rangers are coming home. And if they do..." All they had to do was look at the sled to fill in that morbid blank.

"Get your arse moving boy-" A strong cold gust of wind smacked into Benjan Stark's face a moment later as Bart took his advice, for once. "I hate it when he does that, always get damn icicles in my beard." Despite his complaints, Benjan looked worriedly to the remains that the lad had brought back. Wights appearing again, rumors of dark things in the forests, wildling sightings, and the days were slowly getting shorter. Winter was indeed coming, and he feared that the cold nights would bring with it more than a slow, cold death. At least this night would be a little warmer.

_Closing Notes: Vergil1989; Richard Grayson and Kaldur'ahm aren't forgotten, they just haven't made an appearance yet because the people they are with haven't made an appearance just yet. D So that begs the question, are they in one of the other Kingdoms, or are they somewhere else entirely, such as the Brotherhood Without Banners? Only time shall tell in this new twist on a cult classic._

_Archer83; You mean the acclaimed tv show? Right? Just kidding! I'd rather not face the wrath of everyone who loved the books. Although we will be making extensive changes. (Braces for the oncoming shit storm.)_

_Vergil1989; Well I'd rather not face everyone that loves either the books or the TV shows so we're both hoping to survive the terrors of the night lol. (Braces for the Shadow 'child' that someone is bound to send after me for what I'm about to say.) In all seriousness, as you can see, everyone has changed to some degree. Tyrion is nicer, the Seven forbid, Eddard is a little more willing to smile, things like that. But while those changes haven't been explained in detail just yet, they will be told through flashbacks in later chapters._

_Also, as you can no doubt guess, there will be heavy canon-divergence before this is over as Archer hinted at already. For now, we're more or less sticking to the script, but soon enough, the script is doomed to burn in a blaze of dragon fire. D Old alliances will crumble, as will old friendships and past loves, while new ones will be forged._

_Archer 83; To sum it up; some will die, some will live, but it'll be anything but predictable. Enjoy the ride!_


	2. Oaths Made In Blood

**Unknown Location**

**Two Years Earlier...**

Falling out of the sky in nothing but pajama bottoms and a tank top did nothing for even the most stable person's mood. For someone that could be at best volatile, like Artemis Lian Crock, as she spat out green leaves and pulled out twigs from her long blonde hair, it was best to stay clear. Seeing a familiar red arc of electricity in the sky, Artemis couldn't believe her foul luck as she put two and two together. "Klarion! I'm going to make you pay for this you brat!" There was no familiar snicker, no speeches made by the witch boy. All Artemis got in reply was a chill wind that cut right through her to the bone.

"Last I checked it wasn't winter. What did Klarion do to us this time?!" Shivering as she looked up to the tree she had fallen into on her way down, wincing when she felt a twig she had missed stab her in the small of her back, Artemis growled as she ascended the tree as quickly as she could. She needed to figure out where she had wound up, and then figure out if any of the team were nearby. If they were, then they could come up with a plan from there. Otherwise, she'd have to find them, if that was even a possibility.

The problem with Klarion and his chaos magic, it was just that, chaos. Every spell he cast was steeped in the unpredictable, which made it impossible to truly know what he was capable of. The fact she was lost in the middle of some forest and that it was probably just shy of freezing, when back home it had been in the middle of July, made it pretty clear she was up a shit creek with no paddle.

Once she had reached the topmost branches, Artemis was taken aback by what she saw. While she could see the edge of the forest, it what she didn't see that bothered her more. There was absolutely no sign of a city or town having existed that she could see from her current vantage point. The air was also entirely too crisp and clear too, having none of the city pollution she was so used to breathing in.

As for how this had happened at all, that was easy to explain. The moment her head had hit the pillow last night, Artemis had been out like a light. It was the only way Klarion could have gotten the drop on her, which meant he had somehow followed them home. That didn't matter now though as the archer sighed and shook her head, having spent too much time exposed as she had. She needed a fire and warm clothes before she froze to death, and preferably before night fell. Her gray eyes had already seen one wolf wandering around as she climbed down her tree. Where there was one, there was always more.

She made it a point to break off a particularly long branch on her way down before tossing it ahead of her. She might not be able to make a fire out of it, but she could do something with it at least. Any tools were better than none at this point. A simple spear would be enough for now. With wolves around and who knew what else, any defense was better than none.

The pile of twigs that she had knocked loose originally were still close by, and after gathering them up, Artemis looked around for a sharp rock she could use to, if nothing else, sharpen the spear she planned to make. She didn't have the supplies or the time to make arrows and a bow, as much as she preferred them, but she had other skills which would serve her well. Between her father and Oliver Queen, her true father figure and mentor as far as the blonde archer was concerned, Artemis was better equipped than most to handle whatever awaited her out here.

Huddled by a fire and roasting a rabbit she had managed to catch, Artemis heard the wolves long before she saw them. Their howls were close, closer than she would have liked, but she remained calm as she picked up her spear and rose to her full height moments later. Cold, hungry, and about to be ate by wolves, could her day get any worse?

The snap of a twig close by answered that question for her, as Artemis spun around to see six pairs of glowing eyes not twenty paces away. "You're going to have to work for this meal!" The archer shouted into the night as the glowing eyes receded into the darkness. Just a hint of movement was enough to warn her as two more wolves came out of the inky blackness on her left side. "Who's first?!"

The vicious predators had expected a weakened target from the cold and the snow. What they got was something else entirely. The tip of her spear punctured one wolf in the heart as it leapt at her, dead before it hit the dirt. That seemed to be a signal to the rest as they charged her together. As she quickly climbed back up the tree, one wolf made the mistake of trying to jump her. Only to end up bashing its own head in when it hit the tree, instead of getting its jaws around her leg as it had intended. Safe for the moment, Artemis glared down at the six hungry sets of sharp teeth waiting for her.

"It's gonna be a long wait!" Climbing higher in her tree, Artemis settled in for a long and miserable night. "Mind if I borrow your friends' fur? Doesn't look like they'll be needing it." As the remaining wolves snapped and growled at her, Artemis thunked her head against the trunk in an attempt to get comfortable. "I figured as much." She planned to make herself a fur coat the first chance she got, but for now she just hoped she woke up in the morning with all of her fingers and toes still attached.

A loud shout abruptly dragged Artemis back to consciousness in the blink of an eye as she instinctively grabbed onto a nearby branch. "Hey, you there! Are you alright girl? How in the seven hells did you get stuck up there all night?" She looked down at a simply, but heavily, dressed man in dirty leather breeches, an old wolf fur cloak he had probably made himself given the holes she could see from her spot in her tree, and heavy brown boots and gloves. The man himself looked friendly enough, a slightly amused smile on his rugged face from her current predicament no doubt. "Are you a mute or something girl? You must be freezing up there, lucky you survived the night."

"I can talk just fine pal, but yeah, it wasn't exactly summer weather up here." Artemis was careful to slowly climb back down so as not to give anything away. She didn't trust anyone on first appearances, but that didn't mean she couldn't be cordial at least.

"Well, I was planning on cooking this..." The man pulled a good size skinned rabbit and two squirrels out of a satchel at his side. "You're free to have some if you like. Here, take this and cover up, need to warm your hands and feet properly, else you might lose them." The man pulled out a blanket as well and laid it near the bottom of the tree, before walking away and starting a small fire nearby.

"Thanks." She didn't need this stranger to tell her that as she settled her feet on the ground once again, and immediately wrapped herself in the blanket that the man had given her. "Name's Artemis, and again thanks for coming along when you did. I wound up trapped in that tree thanks to some wolves. How I got out here is a bit...of a long story." She doubted he'd believe a word she had to say if she decided to tell the truth, which Artemis had no intention of doing anyway.

"Nice to meet you Artemis, call me Hagan. Come on, I won't bite, warm yourself by the fire and you can share this long story." The man pointed to the ground opposite him by the fire, having long since noted the two dead wolves. "That your handiwork? Starks might take an issue, someone hunting on their land without their leave." It was the law of the land that the Lords of the North had the right to hunt their own lands. Everyone else had to either pay a fine to do the same or serve in one of their castles. Anyone else was considered a poacher and was subject to punishment if they were caught.

The young girl cautiously sat as close to the fire, and the stranger, as she dared. Even shivering from the intense cold, Artemis wasn't one to take chances. "I didn't exactly have a choice. I was the one being hunted." That was the truth in a nutshell. "And I see you have breakfast and a fur cloak, so who's been doing what now?" The smirk on her trembling lips made Hagan chuckle as he looked over his shoulder at the aforementioned cloak.

"Eh, you got me there. Best we don't get caught then. Lord Eddard Stark is a good man or so I've heard, he'd be more understanding than some folk out here in the North." Artemis couldn't help staring at the cooking meat the man had set over the fire while they talked. Hagan's green eyes flicked over the meat as well before he looked towards his companion. "That raises the question; how'd you even get out here? Was it that strange lightning storm I saw yesterday? Never seen red lightning before, made more than a few folk a little uncomfortable."

So Klarion's spell had disturbed the locals. She wasn't sure how far away the effects of his spell had been, but Artemis was sure she'd be hearing about it again before this adventure was over. "Like I said...it's a long story. You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

"Alright, keep your secrets. Doesn't matter to me much one way or the other, you seem a nice enough girl and that's good enough for me." He grabbed one of the now cooked squirrels and tossed it over to the clearly starving young woman. While she ate her fill, Hagan helped himself to the second of his squirrels, planning to save his rabbit for later. "So wolf huntress, what do you plan to do with your prize?"

Artemis stopped licking her fingers for a moment to answer the man. "If I had a skinning knife, I had planned to make myself a fur coat, their pelts would work nicely. I don't take too kindly to being attacked in the night. They should have picked someone else to hunt." She shrugged as she went back to finishing the meager leftovers of her squirrel. It was a lot better than nothing. "You can have half the meat, if you want it. Least I can do to thank you."

"Generous of you lass, and I think I can help with that. Here, don't lose it, my only one." He carefully leaned over to hand her a simple leather hilted straight steel dagger. "Well go on, take it. You seem the trustworthy type, and I'm sure we could certainly use a week's worth of meat.

"It's 'we' already?" Artemis smirked all the wider as she took the dagger, gratitude easy to see on her face. "Thanks again. I'll give it back as soon as I'm done with it." If she somehow lost it between the fire and the closer of her two wolves, she didn't deserve to be called Artemis, or Tigress for that matter. She quickly set to skinning both of the wolves in an efficient and wasteless manner.

Hagan admired her work for a few minutes, wondering where in the seven hells she had learned to do a man's job. It didn't take long to figure out there was a lot more to the blonde young woman than met the eye. "You sure know your way around a knife. Where'd you learn to do that?"

"A...friend of mine taught me everything from archery to fencing, as well as hunting and skinning. Where'd you learn your trade Hagan?" Artemis asked as she rolled the wolf carcass she was working on over the rest of the way before returning to work. Cleaning it would be a pain in the ass, but it'd be worth it when it was done.

"Oh, my father taught me mostly, the rest I picked up along the way. Mind if I take a look at your style? Seems a damn sight better than anything I've tried over the years." Artemis shrugged and waved Hagan over to her side, never taking her eyes off of the task at hand. Another few minutes and she'd have herself a new fur pelt.

Hagan got up with a grunt of effort, before casually walking over to her. "Sure, whatever. See, the trick is-" The subtle glint of cold steel was the only warning Artemis got as she turned and saw that her new 'friend' had another dagger in his hand, and he was already prepared to use it on her. If not for her lightning fast reflexes, the dagger would have pierced her lung as it slipped between her ribs. Artemis grabbed a hold of his knife arm and surprised him with the level of strength she possessed as she pushed him away, the dagger coming out as easily as it had gone in as he stumbled back. The borrowed dagger in her other hand found a new home, lodged in the man's right eye before she or he had any idea of what was happening until it was over.

The pain that followed had Artemis on her hands and knees by Hagan's corpse. Tears formed in her eyes at the shock that threatened to overtake her senses, but she couldn't let it. She needed to bind the wound or at the very least, keep pressure on it until she got to someone that could help her. "Stupid, stupid, stupid! Ollie is probably facepalming himself right now!" The injured girl didn't bother reflecting on her mistake any more than that as she quickly cut up the man's shirt to use for a bandage. The dagger she had been stuck with was tossed into the fire before she quickly pulled the other one loose. It proved pretty useful for the task as she made herself a dozen leather strips in no time flat. What she had in mind however was going to hurt a lot, but the blonde knew she had no choice in the matter.

From what little she had seen thus far, Artemis knew that she was not in a modern world. That meant medicine was going to be real hard to come by. It was a good thing Ollie had insisted on teaching her the basics in wilderness survival. The last thing she needed to do was draw more attention to herself right now, so she grabbed a leftover piece of leather, and bit down on it hard. _Okay...like Ollie said, don't think about it. Just act. This is gonna really suck._

The dagger she had thrown into the fire was already glowing red hot, ready for what she needed to do. The archer snatched the blade up and pressed it to her side in one rapid motion. Thankfully, only a loud grunt escaped her lips instead of a blood curdling shriek of pain. A few agony filled moments later, after the deed was done, Artemis slumped over and groaned weakly as she waited for the pain to stop. The smell of burnt flesh was thick in her nostrils but sheer force of will stopped her from retching, or passing out for that matter.

Before she let herself rest, Artemis stripped her would be killer, or worse, of his warm clothing and boots, and quickly covered her shivering form. Only after wrapping the blanket around her as well did she finally allow herself to pass out. The physical exhaustion of being stabbed and treating the wound was only part of the problem. The emotional wear and tear of taking another man's life, that was something else. There were only a few rules when working with the team, and keeping casualties to an absolute minimum was one of them.

Out of all the battles she had ever been a part of, Artemis had never been forced to take another person's life. Not a day had passed in this world, and she had broken that single rule. Her sleep wasn't easy, needless to say, but that wasn't anything new if she wanted to be honest with herself. Her dreams quickly turned into nightmares as they often times did. She dreamt of her father, standing over the man she had killed with a giant smile on his face. "Always knew you had it in you baby girl." His blue eyes were twinkling with murderous glee at the disgusted and guilty look she gave to him and the body. "Right through the eye too, didn't have to think about it either. Jade would be impressed. Never even saw your sister pull off a kill that clean, you should be proud."

"Go to Hell dad." Artemis's attempt at a rebuttal was laughed off by the career criminal in front of her. Her mother, her sister, and her father all were criminals in some form or another. Was it any surprise that she had found it so easy to kill Hagan? Killing was in her genes. She had never wanted to admit it, but at the end of the day, she was a born killer.

"You always were too hard on yourself Arty." Wally's voice interrupted her father's attempt at trying to drive his point home. The yellow and red blur she knew so well slammed into Sportsmaster moments later, making the man disappear into the woods before her old boyfriend stopped in front of her. "You're going to be okay Arty. If you could survive _him _you can survive anything, I promise. And besides, you and I both know that you aren't your family blondie. I fell in love with you knowing where you came from, and I didn't care. Now you get back up and don't think of yourself as another in the line of Crock criminals. You're a lot more than that Arty. You always will be, and I always loved you for it. Now, WAKE UP ARTY!"

Artemis's eyes flew open and she jerked her head to where Wally had been standing in her makeshift camp, only to realize he had never been there, not really. He had been dead for two months. "It was just a stupid nightmare...but at least I got to see him again." The tears she could feel falling down her face she chose to ignore as she let her gaze linger on the dying fire in front of her. Wally's presence in her dream had been needed though as Artemis held onto the hope she was far more than her family name.

With no idea of where she was going, Artemis started east. The road she had spied at the edge of the forest seemed as good a place as any to start her journey. With her two daggers tucked in her belt after both had received a thorough cleaning on the wolf pelt she had left behind, Artemis started on her way. She had made it a point to pack whatever meat she was able to salvage off of the two wolves and Hagan. _At least I have something to keep me going. Now I just need water and I'd be set._ She wasn't sure she could climb another tree again, not with her side still hurting. With the chance of opening it up again, Artemis didn't want to take the risk.

While she had found a leather water bag on Hagan's corpse, it was empty, and Artemis didn't want to chance another fire so she could melt down snow, not after the last time she had started a fire. If she didn't find suitable shelter however, she wouldn't have a choice in the matter. Not if she wanted to live through the night anyway. One night in this frozen land had been pushing it as it were. On the plus side, the warm clothes she had gotten from Hagan would help, but Artemis didn't want to rely on her luck.

_I already got stabbed, I'd say my luck is pretty much used up right about now._ With that thought in mind, Artemis was glad the edge of the forest came into sight at last as she continued to press ever eastward. The trees gave way to wide open country and gently rolling hills covered in green grass and snow. Unbeknownst to her, the current season was considered a mild winter, and while it was slightly warmer than she'd have imagined, there were still a great many snow mounds and the like scattered about the land. By the time she crested the hill she had aimed towards, the sun was setting once again and it was getting noticeably colder.

The dirt road she had just seen on the edge of the woods came into sight at least, but there was a castle just at the edge of her vision that she could make out overlooking the land on its own enormous hill. It was as good a place as any to head toward she supposed. She doubted whoever owned the place would let her in, but she had to try right? Then she remembered what Hagan had said, that someone called Eddard Stark and his family owned these lands. If what he had said was true, then chances were, they might just be willing to let her stay around long enough to get her bearings.

Unfortunately for her, there was no way she could make it before night fell again. There was a more pressing concern however. Setting up camp for the night, Artemis pulled back the bandage she had made from the leather strips, and saw her fears were coming true. With no way to clean the wound out before she had sealed it shut, there was already a dark red tinge around the stab mark that she knew would turn into red streaks before too long. "Great, just fucking great!" Artemis shouted as she beat her fist against the ground, which only gave her a sore fist for her trouble. She'd have to get some rest now, and hope that the wound wouldn't turn gangrene before she was able to get proper help.

When morning came around, Artemis knew her time was running out as she woke up with a fever and upon examining the wound, saw that the red streaks had started to spread outward like a spider's web. She'd be lucky if she died out here before the infection reached her heart. _Okay...just calm down and get moving. With a little bit of luck, I should be able to get to that town in five hours. Hopefully. _With a muffled gasp of pain, Artemis got to her feet and began walking as fast as she could force herself to.

She had been on the march only two hours before delirium started to set in. Hallucinations assaulted her almost every step of the way. Lawrence Crock was at the center of most of them. He casually walked beside her, and like always when he was on a winning streak, Sportsmaster was chatty. "At least you haven't fallen on the side of the road baby girl. Your mother would be so proud you haven't given up the ghost yet, but me? You got sloppy and got yourself shived not a day in this weird place. Why don't you just quit and take a nice dirt nap? Like I know you're going to, any minute now. Disappointing as always baby girl."

"Go...to Hell!" Artemis growled, defiance etched almost permanently on her face as she trudged onward, one shambling step at a time. As feverish as she was, the archer took a swing at the mental image of her father. Tears started to stream down her cheeks moments later as she found herself slumped on the ground in defeat.

"You aren't dying here Arty." Oliver Queen's voice reached her ears as the man himself stood over his protege, one of his rare warm smiles on his goateed face as he held out his hand to her. "Come on, I know you're stronger than this. Just take it one step at a time, take my hand Arty." Despite the fact she knew the image of her mentor, who she considered to be the father figure she had needed far more than the one she actually had, wasn't real, Artemis didn't care as she 'grabbed' ahold of Ollie's hand and forced herself up once more. "There's the stubborn Artemis I know. Help is close, you just have to go a little further and you'll be alright. Have I ever steered you wrong before?"

"Do you want me to answer that?" Despite the pain and the sickness that was rendering her almost immobile, Artemis managed a smirk at the offended look Oliver shot her. "Thanks Ollie." Artemis was able to take a small amount of comfort, having Ollie 'walking' beside her in his full Green Arrow costume. It was how she prefered to remember him, as the hero that had gotten her away from the life she would have otherwise been trapped in.

Even with her mind conjuring up an incentive to keep putting one foot in front of the other, Artemis felt herself falling to the ground once again less than an hour later. "Dammit...I'm sorry Ollie, I couldn't do it."

"You did great Arty, I wouldn't have made it this far." A smug look appeared on Artemis's sweat covered face. "That's my girl." Her mentor's image smiled before slowly fading away.

A soft whisper barely emerged from her dry, quivering lips. "Ollie... Don't go, please don't leave me alone..." Knowing it was a useless gesture, it didn't stop her from trying to reach out to him even as he faded completely from her sight. When Oliver was gone, Artemis couldn't stop her grey eyes from closing any longer as she slipped into a fevered sleep.

"My Lord Stark, there's someone here!" She didn't know how long she had been out, only that there were people around her on horseback. Her vision was blurry and her mind was sluggish at best, but she could swear one of the men in her line of sight had long white whiskers on either side of his face. Upon seeing her eyes were open, the old man almost fell out of the saddle in shock. "By the old gods and the new, she's still alive!"

"She's deathly ill and yet she wears the murderous bastard Hagan's clothing. Perhaps she did us a favor? It would explain why she's in such bad shape." She hadn't heard the young man approach until she felt her head being gently lifted off of the ground. She was far too weak to protest, but when she felt the first trickle of water touch her lips, resistance was the last thing on her mind. It wasn't until the water bag was pulled away did her eyes fall on Robb Stark's face. "You're among friends. Who are you?"

Even as Artemis managed to cough out her name, she felt another presence next to her before hands gently lifted her clothes out of the way to get a look at her wound. When he pulled the leather strips away, the look on Eddard's face was grave. "She's burned this closed, but it hasn't stopped the infection. We need to hurry back if she is to have any chance."

"We are to give up the chase for Hagan then my Lord?" Ser Rodrik hadn't expected that, but neither had they expected to see a girl in the middle of the field with a wound sealed shut by fire and steel. Pulling at his whiskers, Ser Rodrik wondered what would come next, as did most of the Stark men that had come along for the hunt for Hagan's head.

Eddard Stark had no intention of leaving Hagan to run free, but he had more pressing matters right at his feet. "Go on without us. Ser Cassel, my son and I shall see to the girl's well being." A quiet murmuring caught Eddard's attention as he realized the injured young woman was trying to speak again. "Easy now, save your strength, Artemis is it?" When she stubbornly gave him a weak gesture to come closer, he immediately did so. A slight grin graced the usually stern man's face as he listened to her soft whisper. The Lord of Winterfell quickly got to his feet, gently lifting the young girl tightly in his arms. "Rodrik, take two men with you and ride west until you come upon a rather large tree. I believe you will find whatever is left of Hagan there, if the wolves haven't ripped his corpse to shreds already."

Artemis managed to stay conscious long enough to notice Robb's impressed expression as he hovered over her, before she gave into her utter exhaustion. "So I was right then? Let's get moving father, it would be impolite to have our guest die after saving us a bit of trouble. Besides, from the look in her eyes, I'd bet she has an interesting tale to tell us."

They had no idea just how interesting, especially when they'd find out that the disturbance over the Wolfwood and the stranger were connected. For now however, they needed to get the injured young woman back to Winterfell. A litter was hastily created with what blankets they had brought with them and tied together behind two of their horses before they were ready to leave, an unconscious Artemis secured in the center of the makeshift litter. It wouldn't be the most comfortable ride, but she'd get to their destination all the same. Whether she survived was another story.

Slipping in and out of consciousness over the course of three days, and most of another, Artemis saw only flashes of faces both familiar and strange to her. Wally, Ollie, her dad, her sister, even her mother appeared before her eyes at some point or another. They never lingered for long however, save to give her words of encouragement and pushing her to live, or offer more torment in her father's case. Jade always had something to say about it later when she appeared again as she always did after her father had gone. One of the more memorable comments Artemis could dredge up had gotten a weak smile from the young Crock. "And you wonder why I ran away when I did. He is a walking, talking asshole, even in your subconscious mind he never stops running that mouth of his."

"Why did you leave me there? You knew what he did to us...what he'd do to me." Artemis was still mildly delirious and hadn't noticed Robb enter the small room they had set aside for her.

"I make it a point never to leave people in need." A dark frown settled on the eldest Stark's face as he pondered the rest of what she'd mumbled. "Who did what to you?" He had the eerie feeling he wouldn't like the answer, provided he got one there and now.

Perched on the foot of the bed like an oversized crow, Cheshire shrugged as the cat mask dropped over her face. Imagined or not, Artemis knew that Jade was just as elusive as she was when it came to honest answers. "Oh...I _like _him. Just look at the fire in those big pretty eyes. Doesn't even know you and I think he'd tear dad apart if he found out half of what he put us through." Hopping gracefully off of the bed, Jade wandered to the window and prepared to jump out of the room, but she could feel her sister's eyes on the back of her head. With a sigh, she looked over and looked to the floor briefly. "If you make it back Artemis, I'll tell you. Until then, live, and do what I couldn't. Escape."

"Don't...don't go. _Please._" Jade had already fallen backward out of the window, but Artemis didn't need to see her glide away to know that her sister would land on her feet as she always did. In that regard, Cheshire lived up to her name.

Robb couldn't help feeling utterly confused as he looked to the window and saw nothing. "I don't plan on going anywhere, I'll stay as long as you like." _As long as I'm able at least._ Winterfell might be run by his father, but he was the eldest of the Stark children, and that meant he had duties he had to attend to everyday. Even so, Robb had learned long ago that a man's word was more precious than any amount of gold.

Fever speak as it was, Robb wasn't about to let her die of thirst. Besides, Maester Luwin had given her a good chance of survival after the red streaks had started to slowly disappear on the second day. "Here, take some water at least. You look better than when you first arrived, thank the old gods. You'll be having to put up with me for quite awhile." Robb couldn't keep the grin off his face as he poured a cup for her and leaned over the bedridden woman. It wasn't until he felt his dagger from his belt being pulled out of its sheath that he realized she wasn't as helpless as he thought.

Artemis was fast, even with her senses muddled by whatever medicine they had been pouring down her throat and the lingering effect of her sickness. Her body was a blur as she got behind Robb with his blade at his throat moments later. Her strength hadn't fully returned, but she had more than enough to keep the young man in place with little effort as she grabbed a fistful of his hair. "Who, where, and why? You have three seconds to answer me before I give you a new smile." Robb was a little confused by her strange speech, but he got the message well enough as he surprisingly kept his wits about him and didn't try to fight her.

_Even bedridden for almost four days, she is surprisingly strong and clever. I very much doubt I could have stopped her even if I had had more warning. _A soft knock on the door only added to Robb's less than happy state. _Oh no. Please let it be anyone but-_

"Robb, how's the girl doing? I thought I heard...oh, I see you're awake." Opening the door revealed the truth of the current situation to the head of the Stark household. If he was at all phased by the young naked woman holding a dagger to his son's throat, he didn't show it. "Good to see you're definitely on the mend. Robb? I trust you were a gentleman?"

Artemis wasn't sure what was stranger; the fact that the older man hadn't yelled for help, or the fact that he still seemed more concerned for her than his son. As for Robb, his cheeks were as red as they could get given his current situation even as the girl behind him jerked his head a little to the side to emphasize her threat. "Just stay back, I don't want to hurt him, but I will if I have to."

"If I believed that, I'd be begging your mercy for his life by now Artemis." Something in the older man's eyes stopped her from moving as he slowly walked towards her and gently removed the dagger from her hand. Robb, despite himself, managed to walk towards his father's side even as he rubbed at his throat where the knife had been closest, his heart in the same place until he started to calm down. "Lose something?" Robb couldn't bring himself to look at the wry grin that was no doubt plastered over his father's face, as the blade's hilt was slapped into his hand. Eddard continued, even as Artemis draped the blanket that had been on the bed over her shoulders in an effort to cover herself as best she could. "I do apologize if he startled you, I'm sure that was not his intent."

The frightened look in her eyes was more than enough to make Robb forget about the fact Artemis could have killed him moments earlier. He held a hand out to her in a calming gesture as she started to head towards the only window. "That is not a way you'd like to go, I can assure you. It's a bit of a long drop."

"Maybe for you, but who said anything about falling?" Despite her words, Artemis wasn't strong enough for a climb out of the wall window, even if she didn't give a crap if she had to do it naked. Modesty had gone out the window after playing the part of an elite assassin in Black Manta's organization. Cramped quarters on a sub tended to do that.

"Ah, I wondered where you two had wandered off to, not that I'm very surprised. Get out. The both of you. Can't you see the poor thing is shaking like a leaf? Two men standing over her probably isn't that comforting right now." Catelyn Stark proclaimed, as she soon joined her husband and eldest son, who were wise enough not to linger with the matriarch pushing them out the door. Artemis couldn't suppress the small smile on her face even as her legs gave out on her. She was quickly caught in a surprisingly strong set of arms and gently placed back on the bed. "You would think after five children that that man would be smarter." Even in her weakened state, Artemis didn't miss the playful smirk on the older woman's face.

Any thoughts of escape, or even attempting to keep this woman from doting on her, quickly left Artemis's mind as she was forced to give into her exhaustion. The blanket was tucked around her and another soon joined it. The whole affair reminded Artemis far too much of her own mother that probably thought she was dead, again. "I haven't been tucked into bed in a very long time. Just asking...why am I naked? Some clothes would be nice."

"After your fever has broken, I will be more than happy to see that you get some proper attire. For now though, _you willstay in that bed_. Do I make myself clear young lady?" Again Artemis had to smirk at the scowl that was on Catelyn's kind face as the young archer nodded her understanding. Catelyn sat herself down in a nearby wooden chair that was covered in a simple blanket and cushion. "Now that that's settled, I've heard that we have you to thank for Hagan's death." She reached over and soaked a piece of cloth in a nearby bowl before placing it on Artemis's forehead. At least the girl was taking her order not to leave her bed seriously. At the uncomfortable look on the blonde's face however, Catelyn cocked her head to the side in curiosity, unaware that he had been the first man she had ever killed.

"Well, it was better than the alternative." Artemis shivered from more than just her fever at the thought of what the man would have done to her, had he been given the chance. The fact he hadn't immediately slit her throat when he had had the chance hadn't escaped the archer's notice, which meant he had wanted her alive for something. She had no doubt that it wouldn't have been good, whatever Hagan had had planned at the time. "I'm going to take a guess and say that your people didn't plan to take him alive."

"We aren't very lenient to murderers and rapists in Winterfell. Especially not to a man that was both. Hagan had already been caught once, but he escaped my husband's justice. I'll have you know my Ned sleeps far better at night thanks to you. He takes his duty to protect the people of his lands seriously, and the idea of _that man_ hurting anymore of them troubled him deeply."

While she still didn't feel comfortable with the idea of slaying a man, even one as vile as Hagan had proven to be, Artemis could tell the gratitude on Catelyn's face was genuine. "I was just in the right place, at the wrong time. Guess I shouldn't bother feeling guilty for getting rid of him then."

"No, you should not. Get some rest now, I'll be back to check on you shortly. Besides, your bowl needs another block of ice, and I can think of at least two men perfect for the task of replacing it." The playful and teasing smile on the woman's face was back in force, and Artemis could only shake her head in amusement at the older woman as she stood up from her chair. Before she left however, Catelyn looked over to the bed. "Thank you for not depriving me of one of my sons, no doubt afraid as you were." The Lady Stark paused for a moment as a thought occurred to her. "You may be truthful with me, Artemis isn't it? If he acted in a manner any less than-"

"He just startled me was all." Artemis was quick to interrupt, feeling more than a little ashamed of her actions despite the circumstances that had forced her hand. "Besides, as your son can tell you himself, I can take care of myself just fine. He didn't even know he was in trouble until I was behind him and putting his knife against his neck. I...never had any intention of using it."

"Good." With that simple, curt answer Catelyn turned and closed the door behind her. She had heard the rumors about the stranger right from her lord husband's mouth, that Artemis had the marks of a warrior trained and tested. Calluses on her hands, scars on her body, and if they doubted those clues, all they had to do was look to Robb and the near brush he had just had. Dangerous as she was physically, Catelyn and Eddard both had come to the same conclusion, that Artemis was no threat to them unless provoked as she had been, and even then she was loath to take a life. A mother's intuition was rarely wrong, and Catelyn had faith that it wasn't wrong now.

**Present Day**

"Artemis." Shaking her head, only then realizing she had allowed her mind to wander back to when she had first arrived in the area. Robb's face had been just as welcome then as it was now as he rode beside her to what was soon to be an execution field. "Drifting off behind the reigns isn't the best idea. Are you alright?" Despite the humor that she could see on the young man's face, the worry in his eyes was of far more interest to the archer as she sighed but nodded.

He knew better than to press her for answers, and so he rode in silence until Artemis gave him something to respond to. "I guess this whole thing got to me more than I thought Robb. I know the laws of the land thanks to Maester Luwin and your folks, but I was never a fan of the death sentence back home." It wasn't what was truly on her mind, but it was part of the issue. Robb wasn't fooled, but he went along with it for now.

"Because of how you were raised, if what you can call what your father put you through as such?" Artemis never got used to seeing the shift from the stern faced Lord Robb Stark he was showing her now, and the smiling young man he had been moments ago. It was just one of the many things she found painfully attractive about the eldest Stark son. Even the young Lord Stark was a kind man however, and he displayed his gentler nature as his hand fell on her shoulder and squeezed it. "I know you know the reason why it must be done, but in these times, an oath breaker and deserter is a danger we can ill afford to allow to roam free."

Not so long ago, Artemis would have pulled away as soon as she felt his hand on her arm, but she drew strength from the contact. The rumors that circulated about them could go to Hell for all Artemis cared however, as she placed her hand on his. She knew there was no way that it could ever be more than this anyway. Robb was supposed to marry some Lady of high standing, just as Eddard Stark had married Catelyn Tully long before she had ever dropped in. That didn't mean she had to like it.

Besides the obvious lost love she had weighing her down, two things stopped Artemis from saying anything. The first was the simple fact that despite her acceptance into the Stark guard and their lives in general, she was still the strange outsider. Theon was quick to remind her and she was quicker to knock sense into his iron skull. There were others who were mostly kinder about it, but they still made it a point to say it anyway.

The second reason was that Artemis refused to upset or outright anger Ned, not in such a selfish fashion at least. She was, and always would be, honest with him, even if it did rock the boat to do so. But when it came to her heart and those she deemed able to trust without question, she kept her own counsel even if it made her miserable to do so. As long as she kept those feelings for the eldest son a secret, Artemis figured everyone would be better off.

If she thought she was fooling anyone though, she was sadly mistaken.

As much as Theon disapproved of her less than ladylike ways, even he kept his mouth shut as Robb and Artemis rode by to catch up with Ned and the rest of his entourage. Jon Snow marked their passing a little less quietly however. "Two years and you'd think they had known each other all their lives, the way they act around the other. It's almost strange to me, seeing them together."

"You really don't see it do you? The little tart just wants a good fuck from your dear half-brother. Maybe he'll let you have her when he's done?" The ever present smile on Theon's face grew wider even as Jon frowned at the man's rude comment. "Oh..._right. _You've never wet your prick, have you Snow?"

"You'd best shut your mouth Greyjoy, before I do it for you." Jon was quick to reply, his hand having started to fall to the sword he kept on his belt. A bastard he might be, but Artemis had never done him harm. Nor had she ever had an ill word for him as most everyone else did. Jon would not stand silent as Theon insulted her at every turn.

If he saw where Jon's hand had gone, the ironborn man paid it no heed as he continued to rave. "I take orders from Lord Stark, not you. Maybe the daring little cunt is too dangerous for you? I'm sure I could always get the other guards to tie her up for you-" It wasn't until he was forcibly turned in the saddle by Artemis herself that Theon realized he was in trouble, again. He saw stars as her gloved fist slammed into his face, shattering his nose for the second time in a little as a day.

Jon Snow could barely look Artemis in the eyes as he tried to hide his obvious embarrassment. Even as Theon fell from his saddle and wound up in the dirt face first, it took all Jon could muster not to blush crimson at what she had overheard. "Don't worry about it Jon, there are plenty worse people I could find myself in bed with." Jon was beet red now as he continued to avoid her gaze. Thankfully, her attention turned back to Theon quickly enough. "As for you, did you learn nothing from yesterday? I knew your skull was made of iron but I didn't take you for a stupid idiot. Guess I was wrong."

"He never learns." Bran simply shook his head as he rode by them, a disgusted expression on his face. Even he knew better than to test Artemis's patience constantly, and he was the second youngest of his family.

"He will, one way or the other." Artemis had no doubt on that as she left Theon to catch up when she took his horse's reins in hand, leading the animal away while forcing the ironblood idiot to walk along behind them.

"When you're all finished acting like children, perhaps we can see this grim business done?" With just one stern look, Eddard Stark had silenced them all and restored peace at the same time. He was no fool to believe that Theon would forget this latest injury to his pride, but Ned wasn't too concerned with him at that moment as they approached the field where the deserter had been tied down to the chopping block already.

Artemis had seen war on a large scale before, had faced down aliens and worse in her life, but not once had she seen a man so obviously terrified. Not of his impending death, but of whatever he had supposedly seen beyond the infamous Wall that had caused him to flee to begin with. She had heard Old Nan's stories, same as everyone else that listened to them, and while she found it incredibly hard to believe that they rode spiders as big as hounds, Artemis still knew enough about the legends of the white walkers to wonder if they were as terrible as they were said to be.

"They...they're coming. Monsters... Dead, pale demons from beyond the Wall. I saw them, the white walkers." Eddard could clearly see that the man was obviously not in his right mind. Even so, with reports of wildlings fleeing the North and stranger things besides, even the Lord of Winterfell briefly wondered if there might be a grain of truth to the deserter's rambling words as he prepared to deliver the killing blow. "My Lord...please...tell my family, I'm no coward. I saw what I saw, and would have suffered worse than this. That's the gods honest truth." Tied down as he was, the deserter was comforted by Ned's silent nod to do as he asked.

"You have sworn an oath to the Night's Watch, and broken it. The punishment for this crime is death. I hereby carry out that sentence." With one quick, clean stroke Eddard Stark beheaded the man with his massive longsword.

Artemis saw Bran flinch out of the corner of her eye and wondered, yet again, why Ned had insisted on bringing him this time. _This world is violent enough as it is. Why couldn't he have let the kid keep some of his innocence a little while longer? _She realized a moment later how truly naive that thought was, as Bran's father walked over to his son and quietly spoke with him. '_The man who passes the sentence should swing the sword' speech... I guess he had to hear it sooner or later. _She knew in her heart that Ollie lived by a similar code, even if she hadn't agreed with him at times.

The ride back to Winterfell was too quiet for Artemis's liking, but even she couldn't think of much to say after witnessing the execution. She was sure she wasn't the only one that was curious about what the man had been ranting and raving about up until his head hit the dirt. It wasn't until they rode out to the edge of the Wolfwood on their return trip that they had reason to talk again when their company came across the corpses of a couple of wild animals.

Theon, even with his nose freshly broken only a couple hours before, was the first to open his mouth. "It's a freak." It was one of the biggest wolves any of them had ever seen, save for perhaps Artemis herself since she remembered a giant white wolf back home that had taken an instant liking to Superboy.

Eddard knew better as he pulled the antler out of the wolf's throat before casting it aside. "It's a direwolf." It didn't take them long to discover that the great beast had been heavy with pups which had had to chew their way to freedom from their mother.

"I know it's a direwolf..." Theon rolled his eyes as he sarcastically continued. "I meant that little black runt of her's. Should we kill the litter? Best to keep them from the livestock. They'll never survive without their mother anyway." He even drew his dagger, planning to do the deed himself as he reached for the nearest of the lot.

"No!" Bran was quick to intervene, having already picked up one of the pups before anyone could say another word. "Please father." Maybe Theon _was_ starting to learn as he refrained from pushing the boy away. Getting hit in the face twice in one day was his limit.

Jon had caught the look Theon had thrown at Artemis when he had pointed out the black pup that had crawled its way to her horse before the woman hopped down and landed lightly in front of the black bundle of fur. Artemis gently lifted the small wolf by the scruff of its neck and looked it in the face, curiosity far outweighing anything else. "Lord Stark, there are six pups here, one for each of the Stark children and mayhaps even for her." Jon was quick to point out, unaware of a seventh just yet. "The direwolf is a sigil of your house. We were meant to have them."

Eddard only needed a moment to consider his course. "You will feed them yourselves, train them yourselves, and if they die, you will bury them yourselves." No one was willing to refute Eddard's stern words even if it was what they had wanted in a sense. Artemis didn't know the first thing about raising a normal dog, let alone a wolf that would grow to be larger than her, but she wasn't alone in that boat she was sure. She almost opened her mouth to complain, but it was the amused look in Eddard's eyes, rather than his stern countenance, that stopped her. _Two years and he knows me better than I know myself sometimes._ She had the feeling Ned had played her, but she wasn't upset over it as she tucked the wolf under her fur cloak and hopped back onto her horse.

"Well look at this! The runt of the litter, and I thought the freak was small. This one's yours Snow." Theon was back to smirking like a loon as Snow looked back and saw a small white bundle of fur trying to catch up with the bastard. Going back to claim his own direwolf, Jon gently lifted the yipping ball of fur from the ground. "A bastard for a bastard, who would have thought." Left behind by its litter mates, it was no surprise Theon had thought of the insult as quickly as he had. Even so, Jon didn't respond to the man's attempt at 'humor' as he followed Artemis's example.

Artemis was distracted from staring at the small bundle of black fur clutched against her as they started riding once again. "What will you name her?" She wasn't surprised to see it was Jon's horse striding alongside hers.

"I don't know...I think maybe...Cheshire." The grey eyes and the black fur reminded the archer of her sister, Jade, also known as Cheshire. The name seemed to fit as the young pup looked up at her new mother and licked the bottom of her chin, earning an amused giggle from Artemis for her trouble. "Yep, definitely Cheshire."

"The name fits. And I don't even know what it means." Snow looked down to his own pup, obviously wondering what a good name for the runt might be.

"Ghost." Artemis said without needing to hear his mind to know what Jon was having trouble with. "I think it fits. As for what Cheshire means...maybe I'll tell you someday."

"I'll hold you to that promise." Jon replied, earning a smirk from the blonde as she rode off ahead of him and Theon. He looked to his right and saw that Robb was staring at them oddly for a moment but the strange look on the eldest Stark's face disappeared when he realized he was being observed. _Is there truth to Theon's mutterings about them? Perhaps I should tell him I have no true feelings for her, even if I would be lying._ The truth of the matter was that she was a little too headstrong for his liking, but Jon like most people, couldn't help but admire the stranger anyway. Whatever the case, he had no intention of getting between whatever budding romance there might be between her and Robb.

"Ghost...it's a fine name." Robb said, before quickly riding on ahead to catch up with Artemis. Only Eddard saw the confusion behind his son's eyes when he looked back just in time to see him look towards the archer in their group when he caught up with her. As much as it pained him to admit it, Robb and Artemis were a good fit together, but Starks put their honor and duty first. In their world, true love rarely won out. War and family commitments didn't allow it, something he knew all too well even if he was happily married to Catelyn now. Love had come later for them however.

And winter was coming.

_Closing Notes; Vergil1989; Flashbacks are also coming. This chapter is a little shorter than I thought it'd be, but all in all, I thought it shaped up pretty good. Archer and myself have plans to do flashback sequences for all of the so far revealed members of the team, meaning you'll most likely get to see Tyrion in all of his lecherous habits when two beautiful women fall in his lap lol. Joking aside, this is just the beginning._

_Archer83; Yup, this is just the beginning of their adventure in Westeros. Oh the places they will see, oh the people they will see killed...or get to kill. We aren't exactly planning on making Game of Thrones child friendly. We might even be more sadistic than HBO, who knows._

_Vergil1989; I think someone's hoping that a certain spoiled boy prince gets the axe lol. Joking aside, Archer is right, soon enough things are bound to get bad. We are merely setting up the stage before chaos reigns and Winter has come again. 'Insert evil laughter here.' In all seriousness, we hope that you have enjoyed this new if albeit late chapter to the unfolding Song of the Seven Kingdoms. D Thoughtful feedback is most welcome._


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